Held Hostage
by XI'mSorryButILoveYouX
Summary: “Listen,” he begins, “I will be your friend— you can entrust me with anything you want— but you have to promise me one thing…” "What...?" Nikki's brows furrow. "You have to promise me you won't fall in love with me."
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One Mistake**

"Aaron, what are you doing?"

A tall boy, hunched over a duffel bag, turns. In his right hand he holds a small fistful of clothes. In his left hand he holds his deodorant. He sees his little sister in the doorway of his room. She doesn't look surprised. He has done this before.

"Listen, Nikki," he begins looking anywhere but at her, "I'm going out to a party. I need you to cover for me when dad calls, okay? Tell him that I'm in the bathroom or something. I should be back tomorrow in the morning."

Nikki is petite. She has long light brown hair with golden highlights. Her eyes are large, almost doe-like, and are of the most golden and lightest brown hue. On each ear she wears three, small, glittering hoop earrings. She is adorned in a long, black shirt that reads "I heart chocolate," and tight spandex shorts. Aaron hates those black spandex shorts. They always ride up Nikki's legs, to the point in which she is constantly pulling them back down.

"You're not going to get wasted again… are you?" Nikki hates it when her brother goes out to parties. Each time he would come back, and she'd lose a part of him. As if he were a mirror that kept on cracking— soon all the shards would fall. And with that… he would be gone. She knows that he is addicted to the alcohol, and the girls.

The worst thing about it is that Nikki never told anyone. Their dad had no earthly idea that his son is not the perfect little prodigy he always thinks Aaron is. Their dad hasn't even the slightest clue that, when he goes on his over-seas trips, his daughter is left home alone. Sometimes Aaron would be gone for weeks at a time, and Nikki would be left to fend for herself.

"You're not coming back tomorrow are you? You always say, 'I'll be back tomorrow— oh I'll be back tomorrow,' but you know what? You never **are** back. You're never back until weeks later." Nikki crosses her arms over her chest. She feels like she is the only parent figure in Aaron's life. What with their father always being gone, and their mother in a comatose state at a Californian hospital.

Aaron groans, "Nikki, it's none of your business. Here," he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash, "here's a hundred dollars for you to keep it zipped around dad."

Nikki doesn't take the money.

"Take it," Aaron says indignantly. When he sees that Nikki wasn't going to budge he groans, and turns back to the task at hand. He finishes packing his duffel, zips it, and hoists it over his shoulder. "Come on," he urges her, "out." He pushes Nikki out of his room, and she stumbles into the hall.

"Aaron— I'm not covering for you this time!" Nikki hisses, her fists clench and unclench at her side. She tries to stop him. She tries to make him see sense. Nikki follows Aaron through the apartment, "You can't keep drowning out your problems with alcohol— you need help. I'm telling—"

Aaron cuts her off with a slam of the front door. He has left. He knows that Nikki would never tell dad. Nikki is now alone, and her fear is painfully obvious, as she sinks to the floor.

She is terrified of being left alone. Yet she would never ever tell her father the truth about Aaron. She values her relationship with Aaron above many things— even if it is a very shaky sibling relationship. She loves him because he is her older brother. Aaron has always looked out for her… he has always protected her… But now it is her turn to do something to protect him. And she cannot even raise a finger.

A tear tickles her cheek, before she fiercely rubs her eyes with her hand.

_I will not cry… I will not cry…_

* * *

**Silver it's the color that he sees momentarily… as the sun hits the glimmering automobile. An itch that he knows he cannot scratch builds within him. He so badly wants to steal it, to make it his. It is a gorgeous car— it almost takes his breath away— it almost makes him forget. Almost. But then the boisterous noise of Hong Kong's streets catches up with him. He looks away, and leans against the wall opposite of the huge illustrious hotel. **

_**I already have many cars… **_**he thinks to himself.**

**A vending seller calls out somewhere down the street. Some little scoundrel is running through the thick crowded streets with a chicken tucked under one arm. **

_**Run… as fast as you can…**_** he smirks. **

**When a group of girls pass by, he sinks farther back into himself. He constantly is making sure that his hood is covering his face— constantly making sure that he makes no eye contact. **

**A hand clamps down upon his shoulder. He does not flinch. He looks to his right where his brother has suddenly appeared. His brother is hiding as well. Then he looks back across the street toward the hotel.**

**Voices sound. A tall Caucasian boy greets the men outside, who wait to take luggage in for the wealthy. The boy then moves to the car that he had been eyeing earlier. With a smooth move, the boy whips out a small rectangular device, and unlocks the car. The boy then gets in, and soon drives the car away. **

"**It is time, Diamond," his brother whispers, "when the streetlights come on, and everything is dark, we will make our move. Down this alleyway, now."**

**Of course they couldn't take the girl now. Not when people were still walking the streets; not when a kidnapped girl, thrashing around, could be seen. No. They would wait for the sun to set, and the stars to come out. They would be taking the backstreets tonight. **

"**Do you think she already knows?" Diamond asks. Absentmindedly he fingers the gun, holstered to his right hip beneath his long baggy shirt. **

"**Father says that she doesn't know anything yet. She hasn't yet discovered her gift." Diamond's brother replies. **

_**Interesting… A watcher who does not see…**_

* * *

Nikki watches the sun set from the high up apartment. It has been an hour since Aaron had left. She stands on the balcony, looking out at boats floating on the water in the distance. A slight breeze causes her hair to flutter around her. She watches as the last of the sun's rays disappear beneath the horizon, and stars start to dapple the evening sky.

She wonders what to do next.

_Room service…_ That would be the next step. She would order room service. But even before that she would go around the apartment and turn on all the lights, TVs, and radios. The sound was what comforted her— even if she couldn't understand much of it. After all she was an English girl amongst a foreign civilization. And Nikki's father moved way too much for her to even think about learning the language. So she barely bothered to learn more than a few key words. But thank goodness the hotel had a few people in their staff that knew English.

Quietly she turns away from the balcony and heads inside. She shivers involuntarily as she shuts and locks the sliding glass door. Something doesn't feel right about tonight. But then again she never feels secure when she is home alone.

Striding to each of the five rooms in the apartment, Nikki turns on everything that she has resolved in turning on. Then, after feeling somewhat reassured, she goes into the living room where the telephone resides on the center coffee table. She picks it up, and dials room service.

The line rings for a minute.

But then someone picks up.

"Hello?" Nikki begins, "may I speak with a translator, please?" She knows that this is the way her father orders room service. It is the way that she, herself, has learned to order room service. But sometimes… sometimes she wonders if they think of her as rude. They probably do. Heck she barely even gave them a polite greeting.

There is a long crackle, and then something like a gasp on the other end.

"Hello?" Nikki feels some odd feeling at the pit of her stomach. But she thinks nothing of it. "Hello," she says again.

"Room service," replies a surprisingly young male voice, thick with an Asian accent.

"Hi, umm… may I have some rice… and ummm perhaps some milk?" Nikki knows she should be getting protein… but she had just recently turned vegetarian, and she didn't know what would give her protein without having to eat meat.

Silence on the other end.

Then, "Will that be all?"

"Umm, yes," Nikki replies, "thank you."

Instead of there being a, "Your food will be up shortly, have a good evening ma'am," like she is accustomed to Nikki receives the sound of being hung up on. She frowns, and tries not to think anything of it as she puts the phone back on the table. But that odd feeling in her stomach wasn't going away.

For thirty minutes, Nikki sits on a stool at the island counter in the kitchen. She draws in her sketchbook. She draws the plant sitting on the counter, next to the stove, in front of her. She cross-hatches in the shadows, and uses her eraser on areas where she sees light.

Soon a light knock is heard throughout the apartment. Nikki stops, puts downs her pencil, jumps off the stool, and wanders to the door. Subconsciously, she pulls down her spandex shorts, making sure she isn't too revealing, and then peeps through the hole in the door.

There is her dinner tray.

Nikki opens the door.

"Mistake number one, little girl," came the same voice from the phone. Suddenly a fist slams into Nikki's face, sending her crashing to the floor. She cries out in surprise and pain.

Two masked figures come into the room. One of them closes the door. The other kneels down next to Nikki, and pins her against the wall, both of his arms on either side of her. Nikki covers her face with her hands, caressing her throbbing cheek. Nikki can feel his warm breath fanning out upon her cheek. She begins to struggle. Not daring to look into his eyes.

"No," he growls. He then forces his knee between her legs, and presses it against her stomach— forcing her still. "Now listen here girlie," he begins softly, "Your 'father' works for the division, and he's _obviously_ high up with the leader— obviously since he's landed you your very own suite," he gets closer to her face. "But division has found out about you, and is now currently entering this hotel as we speak. And your father is being held captive— but I'm afraid that we can't let division have you, sweetheart. Not even with your father's life on the lines."

"What are you talking about?!" Nikki cries out. She tries to struggle again, but his knee presses harder into her stomach. Nikki gasps for breath.

The person, pinning Nikki down, chuckles. "You don't know, do you? You mean to tell me that your father has never told you? You poor, little, naïve girl— don't you know anything about your father? Damn girl— you're naïve."

"What the—" Nikki is frustrated now, "let go of me— someone! Help! HELP!"

"Diamond!" hisses the other figure in the room.

Diamond clamps a gloved hand over Nikki's mouth, and slams her into the wall. Her head hits it hard, and she cries out. But her cry is muffled. She doesn't notice that her captor winces, and turns his head away as he does this. All she knows is that he's scary, and could do many horrible things to her if she doesn't obey.

"Listen girlie," Diamond hisses, "We're taking you, and there's nothing you can do about it. The less struggling you make, the less pain you'll receive— understand? If you try to run— I will not hesitate to shoot your ear off." He presses a hand to her cheek, making her wince. It is where he had hit her only minutes ago. He leans in close, in an intimate sort of way, and whispers in her ear. "That would be such a waste, though, don't you think? Such a pretty girl like you…"

Tears well up in Nikki's eyes, and she clenches them closed. She doesn't notice her captor's hand coming up to brush a stray strand of hair from her face— she doesn't notice when it stops midway, and falls back into his lap.

"Diamond…," warns the other figure in the room, "Ruby's alerting me to some sort of commotion on the second level. The division is here, and they're coming faster than we thought."

Diamond curses. He stands up, and hoists Nikki onto her feet by her elbow. His touch is surprisingly gentle.

"Please," she says. Her voice comes out in a strangled whisper. "Just let me go— you have the wrong person!"

"Be quiet," Diamond hisses. He pushes Nikki towards the door, "You're coming with us quietly, if you don't… well…," Diamond pulls out his gun, and points it at her. It does not shake. He knows how to handle guns.

Nikki shuts her eyes tight, and wishes— for just one moment— that Aaron had not gone.

_Aaron…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two Shot**

Nikki can hear her captors talking indignantly to each other, as they head down the hallway. They are speaking in Hong Kong's native language. Their melodic voices send shivers down Nikki's spine. She is a young girl in the company of young men. She quickly pulls down her spandex shorts. She hopes they do not notice— but when Diamond's hand squeezes her arm, she cries out.

"Stop adjusting your shorts," Diamond commands softly, "or I just might end up shooting your ear from the sheer annoyance of it all."

_Pervert…_

Nikki's heart speeds up in anger and fear. She brings her arms up to hug herself. She has never felt so weak and helpless before this night. She is in her pajamas, for heaven's sake. She feels so uncomfortable. They come to where the elevators are located, and one of her captors hits a down button. He hits it ten times— impatiently.

_Why didn't I take karate when mom told me I should…?_ Nikki thought to herself.

A few seconds pass, and then an elevator opens.

Nikki shivers, trying to keep her stupid tears from slipping. She feels Diamond tighten his hold on her elbow. He has seen her face.

_Stupid tears…_

"Get in," he tells her. His voice does not mock her, but it is vacant of all life.

_Escape… I must escape… Come on— I can't even think! What is wrong with me?_

Nikki can't see for a second, her tears blur her eye sight so badly.

"Damn it— I told you to get in," Diamond pushes her forward— soft.

His touch is _too_ soft in this situation.

He pushes her once more, this time even rougher. It is for good measure. It is to make sure she won't know what to think of him.

Nikki slams against the elevator wall.

* * *

_**I can't have her…**_** Diamond tells himself softly.**

"**Diamond—" his brother begins, in a soft sympathetic tone. He knows. All of his brothers know. They all treat him as if he's a fragile piece of glass that will break if touched. **

"**I have it under control, Coal," snaps Diamond in their language. He doesn't mean to come out so harsh. But he hates himself for everything now. He feels like he's a walking plague. He killed his mother… he killed their baby-sitter… he killed their dog… he killed… well… **

**He looks over at Nikki. She had sunk to the floor, and was hugging her knees. She is scared. It had been so easy, grabbing her. But he knows that with Division fast on their heels, it was only going to get even scarier. For her. Especially since she wasn't familiar with this world— a world where people like him roamed. Movers. Pushers. Rarely any watchers. Trackers. Healers. And other oddly endowed people. Division didn't exactly use humane ways to stop people like him that they desperately needed. No. **

_**But it isn't our time to die**_**. **

**He knows this for certain.**

**The elevator halts. Weird. It stops one floor short. This hasn't been part of the plan.**

"**Coal…," Diamond warns. This is a Division tactic. Typical of them… **

_**Ah… I hate Division.**_

**Coal nods. **

**The elevator opens with a ding.**

**In one moment Coal is standing off in the corner, the next he is kneeling next to Nikki, and using his body to shield her. **

* * *

Nikki gasps, as soon as she feels Coal holding her. She hadn't seen him move. It was as if he had moved in a blur of motion. He seems to vibrate against her too— as if in jittery anticipation.

_Anticipation for what…?_

**Gunfire.**

A sound like thunder ricochets around the small elevator shaft.

Nikki screams, and curls up around herself even tighter. Vaguely she feels Coal's arms tighten around her. Her heart pounds hard in her chest, and she knows that her life is over. She just knows it.

_I'm hit… I'm hit— thank god I don't feel any pain, though… Wow… dying __**is **__painless._

"Seize fire!" shouts someone.

Nikki looks up, confused, and dazed.

_I'm not dead…_

_Whoa… what happened? What is that?_

Diamond stands with a hand out. Before the elevator is some kind of barrier. It shimmers with rainbow colors. At the exact same moment that Diamond lowers his hand the barrier disappears. Nikki's eyes widen— is that why they hadn't been killed? Is that why Diamond stands there— is that why he's not dead?

_Who the heck are they? Superman— and the justice league?_

Nikki tries to push Coal away from her, but he only buries his face into her hair.

"It's not over," he whispers. His voice is almost soothing. His breath brushes strands of her hair.

_Ah… no. I can't escape… not with so many people after me with guns._

Vaguely, Nikki notices the fire alarm going off in the building. It is a loud fire alarm— yet she can barely make it out…

"Where's the girl, you stupid boy?"

_What girl? Me? Do they mean me? The shooters can't see me…? _Nikki's eyes widen.

Diamond does not reply.

Nikki wonders if Coal's vibrating body has anything to do with her not being seen.

_Heck he is vibrating like those shavers at a hair salon._

Nikki returns her attention to Diamond. She watches in awe as the elevator doors crunch closed with a simple wave of his hands. And in another flick of his wrist Diamond wills the elevator to the first floor.

The doors open without a ding this time.

Diamond smirks beneath his mask, and strolls out.

"Come," Diamond calls to Coal and Nikki.

Coal drags Nikki out by her elbow. "Diamond," he pushes Nikki forward, and speaks to Diamond in Hong Kong's dialect.

Nikki watches this short exchange of words between her captors. They are Asian. She can see the slant and the dark color of their eyes. She can see the milky color of their skin. She can see how skinny they are beneath their baggy shirts and denim jeans. They wear all black. The one called Diamond wears a golden chain around his neck.

_I could probably choke him with that… and escape—_

_But he has a gun… and some superhuman power. _

_I'll think about all of this later… I guess._

_I promise— I will escape— I will go and find Aaron… and then… then…_

_If I'm alive later…_

Nikki is so far gone amongst her thoughts that she doesn't even notice when Coal goes running off, and she is left with Diamond.

Diamond watches Coal leave, and then turns to Nikki. "Come on," he says knocking her out of her thoughts, "Division doesn't care if you're harmed— as long as you're stopped. We have to keep on moving."

Nikki turns her head slightly, to see that Coal has left them.

"I don't understand," she says, "please why are you taking me— where are you taking me?" Her voice comes out in a strangled, hoarse, sound.

Diamond does not answer. He only grabs her elbow and jerks her down another hallway, away from the lobby's entrance doors. From there Nikki hears the sound of sirens. She hears—

_Help!!!!!! Help! I'm being abducted! Help— why isn't sound coming from my mouth?_

Nikki touches her throat with the hand that is free of Diamond's clutches.

_I… I can't speak… stupid voice— why fail me now? Why go into shock now?_

Diamond pulls Nikki into a restaurant.

Plates filled with food still sit steaming on the tables. Nikki's stomach rumbles. She trips over a tray on the floor and steps over strewn food and broken glass.

_So… so hungry._

"In here," Diamond looks over his shoulder, and then pushes her before him into a women's restroom.

What are they doing in a bathroom? Nikki wonders if they're hiding. But Diamond strides past her, towards the window in the last big stall.

_I'm not going to pee for him._

"Come here girlie," Diamond calls to her, "I'm going to break this window, and help you through."

_Ha! Let's see you try to break a window—_

Crash!

Nikki whips her head in the direction of the door they had just come from.

_Oh no. Oh no._

"Come on girlie!" Diamond urges her over with a sweeping motion of his arm. "They're coming, and there's only so many bullets that I can handle. Come on!"

Nikki rushes over to him, "W-what are you doing?!"

Diamond swings his elbow back— as way of answer— and the glass in the stained window shatters.

"Come on— climb through. But don't try anything funny, okay girlie?" Diamond watches her with sharp eyes.

Nikki nods, in sheer panic she climbs through the window, and waits for Diamond to follow. She is standing in a narrow alley. She looks around, in a quick sweeping glance. Then she looks back at Diamond.

_Whoa— how'd he get through the window so fast?_

"Eyes on me, girlie," Diamond says. He grabs her chin, and makes her stare into his eyes. "No escaping. Now hurry." He lets her go, and turns down the alley. Nikki follows close behind. She clutches the bottom hem of her shirt, and shivers. Something isn't right…

Suddenly she hears something.

**Crash—**

_Shucks why does it sound so much like the end of the world…?_

The ground shakes.

Men with guns.

Diamond's dark eyes. Nikki sees his eyes widen a fraction beneath his mask.

"Down on the ground! The ground!" Diamond's mouth moves.

_What is he saying…?_

Gunfire.

_Ouch._

Pain in her hand.

One chance to scream. Another chance to cry.

Then falling— darkness starts taking over. Fear.

A world of agonizing pain.

"No! Girlie, hold on. Hold on! I got you— hold on— hold on! Coal!!!!!"

_An angel._

_Hee-hee. He's got pretty eyes. _

_Bye-bye angel…_

Eyes fluttering closed.

Arms— tight and warm.

_Heaven._


	3. Chapter 3

**:) ^_________________^! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the idea or the characters of the movie Push. **

**(Also feel free to review. I don't bite. A short one would be nice, even^_^)**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Three Promise Me**

Nikki wakes up to the sound of something dripping. She opens her eyes slowly. She is lying on a mat on a marble floor. She is bathed in a golden sort of light.

_Drip… drop… drip… drop._

She sits up slowly, placing weight on both of her hands. But this action only causes her to fall back, and cry out. Tears spring to her eyes. She glances to her left hand. It is bandaged. Something red seeps through it, in the location of her palm.

_Blood…_

_Drip… drop… drip… drop._

_God— ouch._

Nikki groans, and stares at the bandage around her hand for a very long time. Her hair falls about her— long, heavy, and slightly curly. Her hand hurts a lot. Slowly memories come back to her. She glances up.

_Where am I…? _

_Aaron?_

_I have to escape— Aaron— I have to find you…_

It looks like a dancing studio, Nikki notices. Before her is a vast space. The marble floor she is lying on eventually leads off onto a bouncy black floor. All around the large room are mirrors that line the walls. It is gorgeous. She lies in an open semi circle, away from the dance floor. There are plants all around her— plants with long leaves that line the semi circle, in front of ceiling-high windows. The windows filter in a rainbow color of light that stains the floor.

_Drip… drop… drip… drop._

Nikki looks up to see water dripping from a high-domed ceiling. There is a painting on the ceiling. But she cannot make it out.

_Sheesh… I don't think they're holding me hostage for the money. This place is filthy rich and—_

"You're awake."

Nikki jumps, and turns her head.

A young man stands before her on the black floor. His eyes are slanted and dark. His lips are full, and a soft pink. His hair falls over his ears and almost shrouds his eyes— over his head he wears a white beanie cap. A large diamond stud earring peers out from behind coffee hair on his right ear. . His face is—

_To put it bluntly…_

Beautiful…

_Gah. He would be a waste of paper. Just to draw his face would be suicide. _

_Gorgeous._

_And I'm being a little too mushy. Knock it off— Nikki. Get a hold of yourself. _

Nikki looks away, quickly. He is gorgeous. And she… well… was not.

_What a way to rub it in my face, Mr. Beautiful._

He walks slowly to her; as if afraid she will spook and flee away like a deer.

Nikki looks down at her hands in her lap. Her legs are tan, and she is painfully aware of how high her spandex shorts have ridden up. Through her periphery vision she watches him.

In a crinkle of his dark jeans and baggy black shirt, the guy is kneeling next to her, on the cold marble floor.

"Let me see your hand," he says. His voice is familiar. It is melodic, and sends shivers down Nikki's spine. His voice is soothing…

_I must not trust him… Don't trust him… Mr. Beautiful can still hurt me…_

Nikki doesn't react fast enough, because the next thing she knows is he grabs her arm.

_Oh…_

His fingers are long and cool as they caress her wrist. He examines Nikki's bandages for a minute, and then sighs.

"I'll need to re-bandage your hand. But when Saffron gets here, I will have him heal it," the young man tells her.

_He's going to heal me… and then kill me? So… Mr. Beautiful isn't so beautiful— on the inside he's rotting like a stupid carcass. Stupid Mr. Rotting Carcass…_

Nikki keeps her eyes on her lap, "Thank you," she says stiffly.

It is silent as he gets up, and moves somewhere out of view beyond Nikki's semi circle. Nikki looks up slightly as he comes back. His head is bowed, as he looks for something in a little bag he brings with him. He is thin… but something tells her he is far from scrawny. She watches as he picks up a small red kit and then drops the bag to the ground. He looks up. Immediately she bows her head again. She hears him chuckle.

_Shiver… Stupid Mr. Beautiful._

He comes back, and the mat Nikki sits on shifts under his weight. He sits close to her, and takes her small wrist back into his huge hand.

_Why so close Mr. Beautiful…?_

Nikki feels uncomfortable.

"This is going to hurt a little bit, girlie," he says.

_Girlie… fear… Diamond called me that… is he…?_

Nikki looks closer at him— no wonder his voice had sounded familiar. She tries to scramble away.

"Shhhh… shhhh," he hushes her keeping her still, "I'm sorry for punching you last night. But… some things require harsh treatment— especially when Division is involved."

_Mr. Beautiful __**is **__Diamond… oh god I was right not to trust him… But why does Mr. Beautiful have to be him of all people?_

Nikki presses her lips into a thin line, as he starts unraveling the bandages from her hand. She wonders if he's about to trick her— if this was just so as he could amputate her hand, as soon as he had the bandages off. She closes her eyes.

"I… I," Diamond's breathe whooshes out in a sigh. "I won't do it again. I never hit girls— well… until last night. But you know— no hard feelings, right? I mean the bruise isn't that bad…" He comes to where the bandages are stuck to her hand— pasted on by the blood. He winces.

_He's a good actor… I mean… he can't be nice— he can't be sympathetic! He's holding me hostage!_

Nikki jerks her hand away as soon as she feels him trying to peel away at the last film of bandages. Her hand is screaming with pain. She scampers back upon the mattress. But Diamond only crawls forward, until he's kneeling before her. She ducks her head.

_He's too fast… there's nowhere to escape to… O Mr. Beautiful— why?_

"Shhhh…," he whispers looking at Nikki.

_He's so unaware of my thoughts. _

Suddenly he reaches over, and pulls her chin up with a finger. "Look at me— I won't hurt you, okay? I'm… I'm not with Division. I'm here to protect you, okay?"

_Protect me…?_ _Again— he's trying to charm me! I won't fall for it… I won't trust him!_

"Now hold still— it'll hurt… but it'll be over with soon."

_But… I guess I can allow him to heal my hand… I don't see a knife… only bandages, and some medicinal alcohol... And my hand is hurting me like heck…_

Nikki holds her hand out again, and tentatively allows him to take it. He gingerly picks at the bandage, and unravels it from her hand. She keeps her mouth clamped closed. Still a small whine emits from it as he picks and prods. Her hand throbs with pain.

_Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!_

"You got shot…," Diamond tells her as if Nikki had asked. He doesn't look up as he works to clean her hand and put on a new bandage. He just keeps on with his story, "So I had to get the bullet out right away. The hand is like one of your body's most fetal places to get hit. You're lucky. You could have died instantly. My brothers knocked the small swat team out, though. I was able to get the bullet out in time without any distractions. Then… we brought you here."

Nikki watches his deft movements as he bandages her hand.

"It was a swat team?" Nikki's voice is small, and hoarse from disuse.

"Yeah, a swat team." Nikki hears something in his voice. She chances a look at him and sees his smile.

_Wasn't Little Red Riding Hood hoodwinked by the wolf's smile…?_

"What… w-what do you want with me?" Nikki chances a look into his eyes.

_O god! O god! He's staring right at me— wolf! He's going to eat me!_

Diamond tilts his head, "That's a loaded question. But I can tell you this— you're safe here." He finishes up with Nikki's hand, and tucks the loose end under her bandage. "Are you okay?" he suddenly asks. He peers into Nikki's face, noticing how pale she has gotten. His long fingers fall from her wrist slowly.

_Is he trying to seduce me…? Then eat me…?_

Nikki looks up at him, and realizes that he has been ever so patiently waiting for her answer.

"Uh… yes. Yes. I'm fine," Nikki says. Suddenly her stomach growls.

_Ah… what a coincidence… We're both hungry. _

Diamond stands with a laugh, "You're hungry, huh? Well come on— I'll take you to the kitchen."

_Mr. Beautiful laughs like an angel high on alcohol— pretty… but free of all restraint. _

"But first," Diamond stops and looks as if he was pondering something, "Ah… yes, I need to get you a wig. Hold on for a second." He disappears the way he had found the bag earlier.

_A wig…?_

Sure enough, as Diamond reenters he is carrying a dark brown wig.

"Put your hair up in a bun, girlie," Diamond tells her.

"W-what?"

_Does he really expect me to wear that hideous thing? _

"Come on, you heard me."

Nikki reluctantly pulls her long hair up into a tight bun.

_Ouch… _she winces as her hand snags on a couple of tangles. But other than these tangles Nikki has no problem with her hair.

"Good," Diamond's voice comes out softly.

Nikki looks up at him in this moment. His face catches in a patch of sunlight.

_Hey… he looks familiar… _

Diamond leans forward, and brings the wig, snug, over her head of hair.

"Awwww," he grins, "you look so cute now with that little bob."

Nikki ignores his comment. "Wait— who are you really? You look familiar," Nikki says. He does look familiar. Like familiar in the sense that she's seen him before. He turns away from her, quickly. All traces of good humor drains from his face.

"Breakfast time," Diamond simply replies.

_Hey…_

"That's not an answer," Nikki says. Her voice, though small, carries across the vast expanse clearly.

Diamond only shrugs.

_Wow. Bipolar. Oh well. _

Nikki sighs, and follows him out of her little semi circle, with a bit of trouble getting up with only one hand.

_Wow— ouch. But— oh! Wow. Double wow. _

A couple of large archways stand before her. They all give a view of a long hallway with stained glass windows lighting a striped pattern along marble floors.

_Dark than light… white stripes… than black stripes… shadow than light._

Nikki steps upon all the shadows in the hallway, shying away from the light. It is the game she and Aaron used to play as children in supermarkets. She remembers how she and Aaron would play tag. Aaron would stay on the white tiles, while she stayed on the black tiles.

_Come and get me._

She feels a sharp pain of nostalgia, and quickly shoves it down— away from her meandering thoughts.

Diamond leads her to an intersection branching off in three directions. Nikki watches as Diamond barely pauses before taking her down the hallway to the right. He barely gives Nikki time to look, before they're hurrying towards a large winding staircase.

_Rich_…

Nikki thinks back on the dance floor, as she follows Diamond up the stairs.

_He probably dances for Hong Kong's entertainment industry._

"Hey… are you a famous dancer?"

_Cough… cough— exotic dancer by any chance?_

"No," Diamond says.

Nikki stares at Diamond's back hard, "But do you dance?"

_Perhaps he's an exotic dancer in private._

With another pain Nikki remembers one of her friends twisted jokes about exotic dancing. She bites back her sadness— pushing it down with the memory of her brother.

"Yes," Diamond replies, "I do dance."

Nikki's eyes catch on his coffee-colored hair. _He must have dyed it to get it that color_, she muses. _And the cut is quite interesting… he's got pretty hair… it's straight and shiny. _

Silence.

_I love silence. But…_

Nikki can hear their footsteps, like knives cutting through the silence. She feels uncomfortable. Although, in most situations Nikki loves silence, she isn't too sure about **this** silence in **this** situation. She isn't even so sure about herself.

_Suffocating. I'm suffocating because of him._

Diamond's mere presence makes Nikki's heart skip beats.

_That can't be too healthy… can it? I am a hostage after all… right? I can't suddenly __**like**__ my captor… that's… that's stupid. Plus I can't trust him… I must not trust him… because then… then—_

Suddenly Diamond stops, and turns to her. His eyes search her own eyes, in which he had the fortune to capture— and yet in which she had the misfortune to be caught up in his gaze.

"Listen," he begins, "I will be your friend— you can entrust me with anything you want— but you have to promise me one thing…"

_Because then…_ Nikki tries to keep her train of thought. But she is interrupted.

"What?" Nikki's brows furrow.

"You have to promise me not to fall in love with me."

_Because then… Mr. Beautiful wouldn't be Stupid Mr. Rotting Carcass anymore. _

* * *

_**R&R if you want me to update the next chapter tomorrow^_^! At least one review. Lol. I seriously don't bite. **_


	4. Chapter 4

**:) Hee-hee. I'm back. **

**Disclaimer is in chapter three. Only the plot and characters you wouldn't recognize are mine^_^. **

* * *

**Chapter Four The Watcher**

_Haha. I must have heard wrong…_

"What?" Nikki says.

Diamond's eyes are serious, as he says once more, "You have to promise me that you won't fall in love with me."

"What kind of hostage promise is that?"

_First the apology… then he heals my hand… and then the stupid wig… now what is this…?_

Diamond sighs, and gives her a stern look. "Just promise me."

"I… I promise," Nikki says.

_Sheesh… if Mr. Beautiful insists…_

"Good, now come on. I know that my brothers and I at least have cereal left in the kitchen."

_A captor that gives his hostage cereal… Wow. _

Diamond continues up the stairs, and when he stops Nikki almost tumbles into him. In front of them is a large kitchen secluded in a dome like area. Floor-to-ceiling high windows, adjacent to where Nikki and Diamond stand, gives them a view of a vast mountain range. The mountains are covered in pristine white snow.

_Whoa… that's a massive avalanche waiting to happen…_

"Sit there," Diamond says. He points to a stool at a large island counter.

_Granite countertops… tut-tut._

Nikki hops up onto one of the stools, and drums her fingers upon the hard counter surface. She watches as Diamond moves to the many cabinets above the kitchen's appliances. He opens all of them. Searching.

Finally he pulls out a box of raisin bran.

_I hate raisins…_

Nikki's eyes follow Diamond as he places the cereal box in front of her, and then goes around the kitchen to find the other necessary items that go with cereal. Soon enough a bowl, spoon, carton of milk and the box of cereal are all arranged in front of her.

"Eat up," Diamond tells her.

_What…? With you watching me like a wolf?_

Nikki bows her head, pours herself some cereal and milk, and begins to eat.

_Not stale… yum… but still. Raisins. _

"Good?"

Nikki startles out of her thoughts and looks up at him.

_Gosh— why is he staring at me like that?_

**

* * *

**

Her eyes are a pretty honey brown, lined by dark lashes, in a soft but angular face.

_**She's like a little matured cherub… Just without the wings… and a weird wig to go with it…**_

**She looks at Diamond with a look of distrust, and something else. But Diamond can't make out what that something else is. **

"**Well," Diamond smirks, "are you going to just stare at me with your mouth open, or what?"**

**He watches as her face turns as red as a tomato. He wants to laugh. **

_**I don't see what's wrong with indulging in her… it can't hurt, right? You can't fall in love with someone… just by laughing… right? **_

"**Uh…," she comes up with, "you shouldn't even be staring at my mouth— and… uh… yes. It's good. Thanks."**

**Diamond grins, "I'm sorry if I offended you, girlie."**

_

* * *

_

Whoa… whoa. Stupid Mr. Rotting Carcass is smiling at me— beautiful smile— beautiful…

"Uh… yeah. Since you healed my hand… I guess I owe you my name…," Nikki looks away from him, "So just call me Nikki from now on, okay?"

Diamond is leaning over the counter, he puts his elbows down, and props his head up on his hands. "Nikki…? Hmmm, pretty name," he says as he tilts his head. "I like it."

_O… he likes my name… Gah— since when do I fall head-over-heels for a kidnapper?_

_Heck stop it, stupid stomach! Why do you pick now to fly, little stomach butterflies, huh?_

Nikki smiles slightly despite her contradicting thoughts and asks, "What's your name?"

Diamond's lips quirk, "Ah— if I told you then I would have to kill you."

_Cliché…_

"Isn't it Diamond…?"

_Sheesh. What a stupid idiot— he didn't know that heard everything last night? _

"Nah, that's just my middle name," he says with a smirk.

_What?! I thought I had him!_

Nikki wrinkles her nose, "What kind of middle name is that?"

Diamond smiles. He reaches over and dips his fingers into her cereal, and flicks milk up at her.

"Hey!"

_What kind of captor is he? Flicking milk at me— pah!_

Diamond laughs at the look on Nikki's face.

"Hey— it's not funny," Nikki says. She frowns. "You're supposed to be treating me like a hostage, and yet you're treating me like I'm some friend. I don't like it."

_Seriously… he did kidnap me._

The serious quality of Nikki's voice suddenly get's Diamond to quiet down.

He gives her a condescending look.

_W-what…? What is he thinking?_

"Look sweetheart," he says— totally ignoring her name— and continuing, "I don't give a fuck about how I'm supposed to be treating you. I told you that you can treat me like a friend— but I think it's time I brief you about something."

_What the…? Stupid Mr. Rotting Carcass is back in all of his bipolar glory… I was just stating something…_

"Brief me—"

Diamond pulls her off of her stool, and drags her away from the kitchen. He turns, and pulls her into a corner before the staircase. He pushes her up against the wall.

_Whoa. Whoa. Too close. _

"Look up over there— tell me what you see," he whispers into her ear.

_Too close. Too close. Shiver… okay. Up there. Focus. Up there… A.. a… video camera._

"It's a video camera."

"Close, it's a surveillance camera," he says. His eyes search hers for something, but she immediately drops his gaze.

_Whatever… I meant surveillance camera…_

"Hey, listen," he whispers, "Division has taken over my house— Division has pretty much taken over the whole world… and there are a lot of things you don't know right now… but I promise you that when you do start knowing about things— you won't like it."

_What is he talking about…? Division sounds like a terrorist group— I have heard nothing about threats on the news or out in the streets. Please make him stop… Please make the big, bad wolf stop…_

"Let's get the record straight right now, and right here, sweetheart. I'm not your captor, and you're not my hostage. I'm not normal— and neither are you."

_What the—_

"Division is after you because they want to kill you. They already have my father— so they don't need you. They don't need another watcher traipsing around Hong Kong to be taken into an enemy's custody."

"Watcher—"

"Ah, I'm not finished," Diamond interrupts her, "so in order to make sure HE has total control of my father— HE brainwashes him. HE makes my father into something unrecognizable. HE makes my father into something HE can control. Then HE sends out an army to kill you. But our father had already warned us— told us that we needed to hide you away from Division."

_Whoa… okay… crazy story— crazy. _

"So me and my brothers thought what better way was there other than to sneak you under Division's nose. Division doesn't know anything about us— our powers are unchartered— and therefore we appear as just normal humans."

_Normal… so I really did see Mr. Beautiful here fend off a fray of bullets with a rainbow shield, huh? Now tell me that that is normal…Normal… what defines normal? _

Nikki looks up into Diamond's eyes. He's staring down at her.

"I'm finished now," he says.

_Ah… I guess this story makes sense what with my wig and everything that has happened— after everything I have seen… I guess… but no! I will not… I will not… but what else could explain last night? _

"Are you sure Division won't recognize me even with this wig?"

Diamond appraises her visage for a second before replying, "They shouldn't suspect the Watcher's sons, and so they shouldn't suspect you."

"What's a 'Watcher'?"

Diamond shrugs, "My father can see the future. So he is known as the 'Watcher.'"

_The future… a watcher… Hey— what did he mean… what with another Watcher traipsing around Hong Kong…? Oh god. No. Heck no. I'm… I'm… _

"Hey… I don't know who you think I am. But I'm not a 'Watcher.'"

Diamond raises an eyebrow at Nikki.

_Heck no. I'm not falling for that. _

He still has her pressed up into the corner. He is close enough for her to feel his body heat, and yet not close enough to be pressed up all against her.

_Still— he's too close. _

"Really…?" Diamond looks down at their feet— their toes almost touching— before looking back up at her. "On the contrary, sweetheart, you **are** a Watcher. You **will** visit the future. You **are** in danger. You **are** the only Watcher left— after tonight… My father will be dead… And you… you will be on the world's top most-wanted list."

_Oh. Whoa. Back up. Rewind. Please…_

"No— no. I'm… I mean— I am not a Watcher. You have it all—"

_All—_

Diamond presses his body up against her, suddenly pushing her hard against the wall. Nikki's breathing stops. She hears him breath in her scent. She feels him bury his face into the crook of her neck. She feels his lips against her skin, as he speaks. His hands grip her hips, and his long fingers brush against her butt. He rolls slightly into her.

_Holy—_

"Would you believe me," His breath tickles Nikki's neck, "if I told you on your sixteenth birthday you will have your first vision? Would you believe me if I told you the day I kiss you— you will fall madly in love with me? Would you…? Would you believe me— and then run from it all?"

_Too close. Too close. You are too close Mr. Beautiful, and you smell like something irresistible. _

Diamond pulls away slightly, as if having heard her thoughts, and makes her look him straight in the eyes.

"Well… would you?" His voice is choked.

_Did his father tell him all of this…? _

_It's too much…_

_Heck… _

_It was just last night Aaron slammed the door on me… and everything was back to normal. Normal. That word again._

_And then this guy came in— and I don't know what to think… I've never felt this confused… This other feeling, though, it makes me scared… what is it? I like him… no… but…I won't run from him if all of this is true. I won't run from myself._

"I don't like running from things… I… I like finishing things," Nikki tells him honestly.

_Double meaning… Yuck. Yuck. Ewwwww…_

Nikki feels her face heating up, and quickly pushes her thoughts down. She looks up to see Diamond nod. His face, she notices, has suddenly turned pale.

"I was afraid of that," he replies.

_Did his father tell him of this scene too…? About us standing here…?_

Something flickers across Diamond's face.

_He's hiding something… His father has probably told him of a lot of things… What is he hiding? _

"So…," Nikki begins cautiously, "w-what role am I playing in all of this?"

_Better start somewhere._

Diamond backs away from her, but makes sure that he is still out of range of the surveillance camera. "Your role is to play as an exchange student from America."

_Just ignore the student part for a second Nikki— just get the facts._

"And my name?"

"Hayley. Hayley Silverstein."

_Hayley…? I used to know a Hayley… and well… she and I didn't get a long very well._

Diamond snaps his fingers at Nikki. She looks up at him, knocking out of her stupor.

"My brothers and I have already enrolled you in school— no questions asked," he says.

"W-what?!" Nikki cries out.

Diamond clamps a hand over her mouth. "Shhhh," he hushes her.

_Hey Mister Beautiful, I saw you glance at my lips! That is so not cool! _

Nikki glares at him as he removes his hand.

_School… I haven't been to school in… so, so long._

Nikki looks away.

"Yeah," Diamond continues on, "Division will get suspicious if you're not going to school. It's a law that you go to school," Diamond says.

"Is that the reason why I'm here?"

_No… it definitely isn't the reason. Mr. Beautiful isn't __**that **__stupid…_

"No," Diamond replies, "you're here so as my brothers and I can keep your ass safe under Division's noses. We have to make sure you don't do anything stupid, and rash— what with Division holding your father hostage."

_Dad! I completely forgot about dad! Dad…_

"I— I…," Nikki stares up at him wide-eyed, "My dad… how—"

"Sorry, sweetheart," Diamond once again cuts in, "he's a lost cause."

* * *

R&R:)


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